WAYLAND: George Richard Seage III, 63, died on January 2, 2021 from acute myeloid leukemia following a difficult course of treatment that he met with great courage, persistence and dignity. He will be remembered as a prominent Epidemiologist, beloved father, husband, brother, mentor, colleague and friend
George was born on March 11, 1957 in Bethpage, New York and was raised by his loving parents George R. Seage II and Lorraine (Angelikas) Seage along with his sister Janet (Shriver) in Massapequa Park, New York. His times growing up on Long Island were among his happiest. Favorite activities included playing street hockey and baseball, family camping trips, outings to Jones Beach, playing the string bass in his school orchestra, and playing mischievous tricks on his younger sister. He was also quite proud of the beautiful log cabin that his family built as a weekend retreat in the Catskill Mountains.
Following his graduation from Berner High School, George went on to attend SUNY at Stony Brook (New York) where he graduated with a BS in Biology and Boston University School of Public Health (SPH) where he graduated with a master of public health (MPH) degree in environmental health and doctoral degree in epidemiology. During his MPH program, he worked as a research assistant in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health where he met his future wife Ann Aschengrau, now Professor of Epidemiology at Boston University. George and Ann shared their love of epidemiology in many ways, including co-authoring the best-selling textbook “Essentials of Epidemiology in Public Health.” Following receipt of his doctorate, George joined the faculty of Boston University SPH and subsequently Harvard TH Chan SPH where he became a tenured professor in 2012. His research began while George served as the first director of the Massachusetts AIDS Surveillance Program and focused on the behavioral and biological aspects of adult and pediatric HIV transmission, natural history and treatment. For the past 15 years, he served as the principal investigator of the Data and Operations Center for the Pediatric and HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS), a multi-center consortium across the US and Puerto Rico evaluating the effect of antiretroviral therapy on the long-term health of children infected with HIV in utero as well as uninfected children who were exposed to antiretroviral drugs in utero. He was also the principal investigator of a graduate training program in the epidemiology of infectious diseases and biodefense. With over two hundred publications in major scientific journals, George made immense contributions to our understanding of HIV transmission and its consequences, thereby helping many children, mothers and families. In recognitions of these achievements he was inducted in the Massapequa Schools Hall of Fame and received the Massachusetts Governor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to AIDS Research, the Fenway Community Health Center Research Award, and the Boston University SPH Alumni Award. However, his proudest accomplishments were creating a nurturing environment for his research team, mentoring the next generation of HIV scholars, providing relief supplies to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, and, most of all, raising his talented, kind and thoughtful son Greg.
He felt especially fortunate to have attended Greg’s theatrical performances throughout high school, college, and most recently, off-Broadway. When he was not working, George enjoyed attending Red Sox and Yankees games with his son Greg, Broadway musicals with his wife Ann, reading nonfiction books, learning about ancestors who fought in the Civil War, watching old movies, running (including the Boston Marathon), and playing golf.
George will be remembered for his keen intelligence, forward-thinking and compassionate leadership, wisdom, creativity, approachable manner, sense of humor, abundant kindness and generosity, and great love of ice cream treats.
George is survived by Ann, his beloved wife of 32 years, cherished son Greg and his wonderful girlfriend Lesly Lopez and many loving relatives including his sister Janet and brother-in-law Jeff Shriver, sister- and brother-in-law Sally and Ed Vetstein, nephew Rich Vetstein, nephew and niece Jeff and Jill Vetstein, aunt Doris Seage, uncle and aunt Spiros and Georgia Angelikas, cousins John and Jan Seage, Carolyn and Bill Bishop, Lisa Murnane, Elaine Conkle, Janine and Sterling Holmes, James and Lauren Seage, Diane Seage and her husband, Tom and Kim Philips, Chris and Robin Philips, George (deceased) and Linda Philips, Maryann Philips, Ellen Neeley (deceased), John and Maria Spain, and Patrick and James Libertelli, as well as their extended families. He is also survived by many appreciative colleagues and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in George’s name may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s in-patient hematology program.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the family has chosen a small private funeral service. At his request, a celebration of George’s life will be held at a later date. Funny and fond “George” stories will be encouraged.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of the John C. Bryant Funeral Home of Wayland. For condolences please visit www.johncbryantfuneralhome.com.